Will marginals survive frozen winter

Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
267
Reaction score
95
Location
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone
5A
Country
Canada
just wondering if anyone knows what, if any, marginals may survive being frozen over the winter in my shallow pond (shelf is only about 6"down) pond is about 1.5-2' deep.
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2013
Messages
13,070
Reaction score
13,394
Location
Northern IL
Showcase(s):
1
All of my hardy marginals survive - irises, reeds, rushes, cardinal flower, as well as the ones @EricV mentioned. We learned the trick is to make sure they are not exposed - completely frozen in the ice is fine. Uncovered they all die. The first year we shut the pond down for winter which in our design causes the water level to drop about 8 inches. Every one of my plants died. Keeping the water level up to keep them in/under the ice and we’ve never had the problem again.
 
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
1,228
Reaction score
904
Location
Florida
Country
United States
You live in the southern end of Ontario and I think that is zone 5 so reeds, rushes etc. will do fine.
Stephen
 

sissy

sissy
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
33,086
Reaction score
15,702
Location
Axton virginia
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
7A
Country
United States
you could do like colleen in Canada does ,build a hoop house over the pond
 
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
20
Reaction score
15
Location
Barrie Ontario
Hardiness Zone
5a-5b
Country
Canada
We are in Barrie as well and just drop everything in the deeper pond to the bottom. This includes fish as well. Hubby leaves a pump bubbling away and everything survived last winter. If you would like to chat or compare what works in Barrie send me a message.
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
267
Reaction score
95
Location
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone
5A
Country
Canada
Thanks all.. so now for my other monkey wrench... I was really hoping to plant whatever I use bare root either in some travel on the shelves or anchored with stones and rocks.. will any of the big bean or rushes or marsh marigolds or reeds do OK planted like that or would I have to put them in pots.. really don't want to put any dirt in the pond..
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
267
Reaction score
95
Location
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone
5A
Country
Canada
We are in Barrie as well and just drop everything in the deeper pond to the bottom. This includes fish as well. Hubby leaves a pump bubbling away and everything survived last winter. If you would like to chat or compare what works in Barrie send me a message.

I'm guessing your pond is deeper than mine... I hit lords of large tree roots so I had to keep it shallow about 1.5-2' ...Are you in the north or south end of Barrie?
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Messages
677
Reaction score
572
Location
Chicago (W suburbs)
Showcase(s):
3
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
United States
Thanks all.. so now for my other monkey wrench... I was really hoping to plant whatever I use bare root either in some travel on the shelves or anchored with stones and rocks.. will any of the big bean or rushes or marsh marigolds or reeds do OK planted like that or would I have to put them in pots.. really don't want to put any dirt in the pond..

Everything I mentioned does fine just tucked behind some medium sized rocks.
 
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
3,990
Reaction score
2,682
Location
Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
Hardiness Zone
6a
All that were mentioned.

And to add what was already said... I will mention that all my Creeping Jenny that was either planted in the pond (which were on shelves and frozen solid) or rooted in the ground survived. They not only survived, but are flourishing. The Creeping Jenny that were in pots sitting above the ground tucked in-between rocks all died.
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2013
Messages
13,070
Reaction score
13,394
Location
Northern IL
Showcase(s):
1
I was really hoping to plant whatever I use bare root either in some travel on the shelves or anchored with stones and rocks.. will any of the big bean or rushes or marsh marigolds or reeds do OK planted like that or would I have to put them in pots.

Plants that are naturalized in the pond will do much better than anything in pots. I quickly grew tired of the "drop them to the bottom" routine - all those pots would take up so much bottom space in my pond over winter! - and figured out how to plant everything directly in the pond. In gravel, in between rocks, anchored with a few rocks on a shelf - whatever works! My first "out of the pot" plant literally burst out of the pot, so I cut the pot off, chopped the plant in hal , opened up the circle into two half circles and dropped them on the shelf. That plant taught me a lot just by refusing to cooperate with my pot idea!
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Messages
677
Reaction score
572
Location
Chicago (W suburbs)
Showcase(s):
3
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
United States
I bought a ton of the nice fabric aquascape pots. Now they are mostly sitting in my garage as I do the same thing. I don’t even have any gravel, but once they get a bit of root going, they will anchor in and collect their own soil. Lilies, lotus, and hawthorn will stay in pots.
 
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
20
Reaction score
15
Location
Barrie Ontario
Hardiness Zone
5a-5b
Country
Canada
I'm guessing your pond is deeper than mine... I hit lords of large tree roots so I had to keep it shallow about 1.5-2' ...Are you in the north or south end of Barrie?
Hi Pond Skipper.

We are in the North end of Barrie, Anne Street and Cundles Road area.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,782
Messages
508,591
Members
13,043
Latest member
cisifom

Latest Threads

Top